Beehive.



PATENTED DEC. 25, 1906.

P. LAMBERT. BEEHIVE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6, 1906.

lvwwtor,

wit" 00am PETER LAMBERT, OF UXBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

BEEHIVE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 25, 1906.

Application filed July 6, 1906. Serial No. 324.927.

T0 at whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PETER LAMBERT, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at Uxbridge, in the county of \Vorcester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Beehives, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention pertains to beehives, and more particularly to means forcontrolling hive-entrances; and it contemplates the provision of simpleand easily-adjusted means through the medium of which the size of ahive-entrance may be nicely regulated to meet the requirements ofdifferent conditions.

The invention also contemplates the provision in an entrance-controllingdevice of means for barring the passage of bees, while permitting air tofreely enter and leave the Other advantageous characteristics of myinvention will be fully understood from the following description andclaims when the same are read in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is afront elevation illustrating the controlling means constituting thepresent and preferred embodiment of my invention as properly positionedrelative to the entrance of a beehive. Fig. 2 is a vertical transversesection taken in the plane indicated by the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 lookingin the direction of the arrow. Fig.3 is a horizontal section taken inthe plane indicated by the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 looking downward. Fig. 4is a detail perspective view illustrating the relative arrangement ofthe ends of the shutter and the foraminated plate of the controller.

Similar letters designate corresponding parts in all of the views of thedrawings, referring to which A is a wall, preferably the front wall, ofa beehive, which extends down to a point at a slight distance from thebottom wall B, so as to afford an entrance-opening O, which extendspractically throughout the width of the hive.

D D are spring-strips fixedly connected to the face of the hivewall Aand extending down from their points of connection to points adjacent tothe extended or shelf portion of the bottom wall B, and E is a shutter,preferably of wood, which, like the springstrips D, is comprised in myimprovements. The said shutter E is designed to be arranged above theshelf portion of the hive bottom B and between the free portions of thespringstrips D and the face of the hive-wall A, and it is shouldered atits ends, as indicated by a, and recessed at its lower edge, asindicated by I). It is also provided in its lower edge with a channel orkerf c, which extends throughout its length, as illustrated in Figs. 2and 3.

F F are slides, preferably of sheet metal, which are arranged in thechannel 0 of the shutter E and are provided at their inner ends withfinger portions d. These slides F have to do with regulating the size ofthe opening afforded by the recess 1) in shutter E, it being obviousthat when the slides are moved toward each other the size of the openingis diminished, while when the slides are moved outward the opening isincreased in size. It will also be apparent that through the medium ofthe slides F the contracted entrance of the hive may be positioned at ornear the center, as is always desirable.

G is the foraminated plate of my improvements. This plate has a mainportion 6, designed to rest between the hive-wall A and the opposed sideof the shutter E, a top flange f, disposed above the upper edge of theshutter, end flanges g, arranged against the ends of the shutter andbelow the shoulders 0. thereof, and rolls h, arranged against the endsof the shutter and above shoulders a. By virtue of this construction ofplate G it will be seen that when the shutter E is moved upward orendwise the plate G will be moved with it. Said plate G may, however, beraised independent of the shutter E when such manipulation is necessary,as will pres ently appear.

In the practical use of my improvements it will be observed that whenthe shutter E is arranged on the shelf portion of the hive bottom B andthe plate G is raised to its highest position relative to the shutterthe entrance to the hive is partially closed, as is desirable in theearly spring or late fall ,when the hive is not working freely. Thenwhen it is advantageous to further diminish the size of the entrance, aswhen the hive is weak, the same may be accomplished by moving the slidesF inward or toward each other and the center of the recess 1) in shutterE. Again when it is essential to shut up the hive for any purpose, suchas when the hive is to be moved from one point to another or to or fromwinter quarters, the same may be accomplished by lowering the plate Guntiljit rests on the shelf portion of the hive bottom B, when it willbe seen that said plate G will effectually bar the passage of beeswithout interfering with the free ingress and egress of iir necessary toproper ventilation of the Incident to the time of the full flow ofhoney, when a large entrance to the hive is necessary, the shutter E andthe described appurtenances thereof are raised and retained by thespring-strips D in a raised position, so as to entirely uncover theentrance-opening C of the hive.

It will be gathered from the foregoing that in addition to the practicaladvantages ascribed to my improvements the same are strong and durableand are well adapted to withstand exposure to the weather.

The construction herein shown and described constitutes the preferredembodiment of my invention; but it is obvious that in practice variouschanges in the form and arrangement of the parts may be made withoutinvolving departure from the scope of my invention as claimed.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s

1. The combination with a beehive and the entrance-opening thereof; of aspringstrip connected to the hive, above the entrance-opening, andextending down from its point of connection, a shutter arranged andmovable between the free portion of the spring-strip and the hive andhaving an opening in its ower portion, and a foraminated plate carriedby and adjustable on the shutter.

2. The combination with a beehive and the entrance-opening thereof; of as ringstrip connected to the hive, above t e entrance-opening, andextending down from its point of connection, a shutter arranged andmovable between the free portion of the spring-strip and the hive andhaving an open J ing in its lower portion and alsoghaving adustablemeans for closing said opening to a greater or less extent, and aforaminated plate carried by and adjustable on the shutter.

3. The combination with a beehive and the entrance-opening thereof; of ashutter held to and adjustable on the hive and with respect to theentrance-opening thereof and having an opening, adjustable means forclosing said opening to a greater or less extent, and a foraminatedplate carried by and adjustable on the shutter.

4. The combination of a shutter for the entrance-opening of a beehive;said shutter having a transverse recess in its lower edge extendingupward from said recess and also outward beyond the ends thereof, andalso having a longitudinal channel in said edge, and slides movable insaid channel of the shutter.

5. The combination of a shutter for the entrance-opening of a beehive;said shutter having a recess in its lower edge and also having shouldersat its ends, and a foraminated plate arranged back of the shutter andhaving a top flange arranged to rest on the upper edge of the shutterand also having end flanges engaging the ends of the shutter.

6. The combination of a shutter for the entrance-opening of a beehive;said shutter having a recess and a longitudinal channel in its loweredge, slides movable in said channel of the shutter, and a foraminatedplate arranged back of the shutter and having a top flange arranged torest on the up er edge of the shutter and also having end flangesengaging the ends of the shutter.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses. I

PETER LAMBERT.

Witnesses:

ISABELLE SMITH, EDGAR L. SPAULDING.

